of the " Birds of AmcricaJ^ 27 



How easily error may be perpetuated from age to age, 

 we may learn from a thousand other visionary notions, 

 which the more careful observations of recent travellers 

 and naturalists have exploded- At this day, the belief is 

 very general in this country, that immediately after a deer 

 (Cervus virginiamiSj Gmel.^ has been killed, the vultures 

 at the distance of many miles are seen coming in a direct line 

 against the wind^ scenting the slaughtered animal. This 

 may be accounted for with a little observation, upon 

 rational principles. When a deer is killed, the entrails 

 are immediately taken out ; these, and perhaps the blood 

 which covers the earth to some extent, are seen by some 

 passing bird. He directly commences sailing around the 

 the neighborhood. He is observed by those at a distance. 

 The peculiar motions of his wings, well known to those of 

 his own species, communicate to them the intelligence 

 that something good for them is perceived : these hasten- 



r 



ing to the place, give information to those who are still 

 farther off, and in the course of an hour, a great number 

 are guided to the spot. But it will scarcely be argued 

 that this great concourse of vultures has been attracted 

 by the effluvium of putrid flesh, since the animal has been 



killed but an hour before. 



" In the prosecution of our experiments, we discovered 

 that the powers of sight in our vultures, were not as great 

 as those possessed by the falcon tribe. A dead fowl was 

 discovered by them at the distance of 70 or 80 yards; a 

 sheep at 100 or 120 yards. These however were sta- 

 tionary objects, lying on the ground. One of their own 

 species however, flying in the air, is no doubt observed by 

 them at a much greater distance. It may easily be con- 

 ceived why the sight of the vulture Is less acute than that 

 of hawks or eagles. The latter prey upon birds, quad- 

 rupeds, &c. for which they have to hunt : the former feed 



